Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-09-09
FACTS ABOUT NAMES.

FACTS ABOUT NAMES.
The Fanny wars In which rstronymIcs
Are Coined and Transformed.
Angio-Saxons appear to have first
given surnames indicating some moral
or mental attributes, as. for instance.
Wise. Good, Swift. jolly, Merry, Meek.
Gay, Goodman, Makepeace, etc. Then
we have names indicating real or
famcied resemblance to some animal.
such as Bear. Lion, Wolf. Hogg, Hart
and Hare. From physical character
istics or peculiarities must have origin
ated such names as Long. Short. Black.
Brown. White, Whitehead, Cruikshank,
Strong. Armstrong. Longfeilow and
Greathead. A nickname kept in a
family for generation ortwo becomes
patronymic Hence such names as
Hopper. Jumper, Springer. Daddys-
man, Poor and Rich.
The Nc and o Of the Irish and the
Mac OF the Scotch indicate descent.
There Is another way in which the
same thing is shown: Adams SON be-
comes Adamson, David's son David
son; Thompson, Wilson. Williamson.
Donaldson. Anderson and many other
names are similarly derived. Locali-
ties or places of residence usually gave
rise to such names as Hill. Dale, Wood,
Green, Greenwood, Heath, Rivers,
Waters and Parks. Such names as
Welsh, French, Iri-h, Ireland, En-.
glish and Scott may perhaps be traced
back to the nationality OF some remote
ancestor.
Some OF the Pennsylvania Dutcl
names which have been partly trans
formed into English are queer enough
In Armstrong County, Pa. there arr
several families by the name o
Schreckengeist, which signifies IL
German ghost or specter Of terrible
appearance. One would think tbs
name could be made no worse, bu
some of the people have succeeded il
transforming it into Shriekingghost
Milliron, Mo-ningstar, Redheffer AM
Barndollar are other German name
witch have been partly translated.
The names which were derived fron
occupations are probably more numer
Gus than any other class. All kno,
how widespread the Smith family is
In the same category belong tn
Clarks clerks originality, Cooks
Coopers. Bakers. BARRIERS, Taylors
Shoemakcrs. Tanners, Farmers an
others. The months or days in whic
people were born originated sue
names us May. June, january, Marcel
Friday aud Monday.
The inns Of old England are prot
ably responsible for many names. Fo
instance: John of the Rose becam
John Rose; Thomas of the Bell, Ton
Bell; Richard Of the Hawk, Richar
Hawk; Henry of the 'greathouse
became Henry Greathouse, and so OF
until there is scarcely bird, ANNA
or other device that ever figured on
sign-board that is not perpetuated rs
family name,
Tho poverty of invention of the pi'
neer community in America In II
matter Of names for towns results
bcstowing some absurd appcllatior
on backwoods hamlets. Who ca
name county, either east or Yves
which has not some village styled Pari
Oxford. Jerusalem. London. Berlin, {
something else equally ahsurdP
There are, perhaps. as many que
names among the English as anon
any people ON earth. Dickens stori
abound in them. yet very few of h
names were manufactured. Su,
names as Slaughter Startup. Got
bed. Deadman, Churchyard. Dogberl
and Fudge are found in English direc
cries.
The Romans had double. triple
even quadruple names, as, for cxampl
Gains Julius Caesar. Tarquinius Super
MS. and Quintus Fabius Maximus. Fir
qucntiy an honorary name was add,
TO commemorate some warlike aehiev
ment; Fabins was called Canctato
and Scipio Africanus.
Sometimes the very queerest of nam
get coupled together as the title of
firm. Here are few specimens: Ho,
& keteh. Cobb & Hay. Peacock
Sparrow. Fox 4 Crane. Singer & Hoe
er, Drake & Gandcr, Fisher & Fowle
Gosliu Il Pond, Wild & Free, Cannon
Gun. = thiea3o Meas.